Transom-lifter



N0. 6l0,499. 7' Patented Sept. 6, I898.

w. R. SHELMRRE.

TRANSOM LIFTER.

(Application "filed June 9, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT @Frrcn IVARREN R. SI-IELlWIIRE, OF AVONDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRANSOM-LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,499, dated September 6, 1898.

Application filed June 9, 1897.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVARREN'R. SHELMIRE,

of Avondale, in the county of Chester and;

declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in ventilating mechanisms for greenhouses and like structures, and has for its object to provide means for lifting or otherwise operating a single sash or plurality of sashes of the kind ordinarily employed in the construction of the roof of a greenhouse. It has heretofore been the custom to lift such sashes by means of a lever arrangement of some form. In my device the order of operating is reversed, so that the sash instead of beinglifted is drawn downwardly and closed, being in ,a normally open position, and my mechanism is for the purpose of drawing down and holding in a closed position one or a series of ventilating-sashes.

My device can be very easily applied to the roofs of existing greenhouses at a very moderate cost and when in place will be found very durable and not at all likely to get out of order.

In the drawings herewith, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper interior portion of a greenhouse equipped with my improved ventilating mechanism Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanism and constructions. Fig. 3 is an elevated side view of a single ventilator, showing its attachment to a roof and my improved means for closing the same.

In the practice of my invention I provide, first, a suitable cable 1, constructed, preferably, of short metal links, and which is extended longitudinally of the greenhouse and secured in a movable or sliding position to the under surface of the roof 2 by means of keepers 3, so that the said cable may be free to be drawn horizontally through said keepers and be maintained therein in such position. At one of the extremities of said cable 1 I attach thereto a stout spiral spring 4, hav- Serial No. 640,027. (No model.)

ing: the opposite end ofthe said spring suitably secured to the vertical gable-wall or other suitable portion of the building. The opposite end of the cable 1, after being carried over a pulley 5, suitably secured to some portion of the roof oropposite gable-wall, is thence extended downwardly and made fast to the periphery of the wheel or Windlass 6, provided with a crank 7 for operating the same, said wheel and Windlass being mounted in a suitably-constructed stationary frame. I next provide at certain points upon the cable 1 clamps 8, adapted for attachment to the cable 1 by clamping-screws 9, or they may be secured in any other manner desired, the object being to secure them rigidly to certain definite points upon said cable. In connection with each of said clamps I provide a short cable or cord 10, of sufficient length to reach from the clamp 8 to the upper outer edge of the ventilating-sash when the same is in an open position.

Operating in connection with the short cord or cable 10 I providesm all stationary pulleys 11,adapted to permitthe passage therethrough of the small cord or cable 10, so that the said cable will be for a portion of its length nearly parallel with the main cable 1 and beyond the pulley 11 will be in a vertical or inclined position, the upper end being secured to the upper edge of the sash 12 after passing through the opening in frame 13. The sash 12 is normally held up above the frame 13 by means of a spring 14, suitably mounted, having one end bearing against the surface of the sash and the other end upon some portion of the frame 18.

My device is therefore utilized to draw downwardly at the same moment, if desired, all the ventilating -sashes in longitudinal alinement with each other upon the roof of the building. When it is desired to allow a limited number of the ventilators to remain open, all that is necessary is to detach the short cable or cord 10 from such sashes 12, af-' ter which the said sashes so disconnected will remain open. I do not confine myself, however, to the means herein shown for drawing downwardly the main cable 1. Instead of a Wheel and crank 7 I may simply use the depending end of the cable in connection'with a clutch for holding the same in position after it has been drawn downwardly, or any other means may be utilized for drawing and downwardly retaining this cable. Instead of the spiral springs 4 and 14 I may utilize plate springs, or in lieu of spring 4: I may use a weight secured upon the adjacent end of the cable 1, which would effect the same purpose.

Having thus described my invention and manner of constructing the same,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by means of Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mechanism for operating the hinged sashes of a greenhouse or other structure for purposes of ventilatiomthe longitudinallyextending cable movingin guideways,a spring connected at one end with one end of said cable and at its other end with the structure at one end thereof, for holding the cable normally drawn toward said end of the structure and allowing the sashes to swing open, the opposite ends of the cable passing through a guide-pulley, a Windlass for actuating said cable to overcome the tension of the spring for closing the sashes, means for holding the sashes normally open, transversely-arranged cords connected each to the sash at one end and at the opposite end to the longitudinal cable, and guide-pulleys for said transverse cords intermediate the sashes and the longitudinal cable, substantially as described.

2. In a mechanism for operating the hinged sashes ot' a greenhouse or other structure for purposes of ventilation,the longitudinally-extending cable moving in guideways, a spring connected at one end with one end of said cable and at its other end with the structure at one end thereof, for holding the cable normally drawn toward the said end of the struc- "ture and allowing the sashes to swing open,

the opposite ends of the cable passing through a guide-pulley, a Windlass for actuating said cable to overcome the tension of the spring for closing the sashes, transversely-arranged cords connected each to the sash at one end and at the opposite end to the longitudinal cable, guide-pulleys for said transverse cords 

